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To the untrained eye, the two of them are really nothing special.
Most people don’t even think that they’re friends most of the time when they’re seen out together. It’s strange that appearance can garner such assumptions. Juyeon isn’t exactly sure why people are so... confused when he’s out with Changmin. They don’t appear starkly different — the only obvious contrast is their height — but he figures it could be their demeanors too. Changmin is much more outgoing when he needs to be even though he’s initially not very talkative as opposed to Juyeon’s natural stoicism. He’s been told he should smile more upon meeting people, because maybe he looks a little intimidating, but Changmin always says that Juyeon smiles plenty enough. That’s the only opinion that ever mattered to him.
Their friends understand much better than the ordinary stranger, though perhaps not completely. Sometimes Changmin will get an odd look when he announces he’s going to watch a movie and Juyeon is quick to join him, even though he doesn’t normally watch the same films that Changmin likes. There are also times when Juyeon needs a bit of insight and advice, he’ll skip going to Chanhee or Jacob and head straight to Changmin’s door instead.
And now, laying flat on his back on Changmin’s bed, staring at his phone, next to each other in silence and coexistence. Changmin is watching some weird crime documentary, again, and Juyeon tunes out at the thirty minute mark. Occasionally they’ll have nights like this: a day off from activities with everyone else out doing their own thing or holed up in their respective rooms at the dorm, while Juyeon and Changmin enjoy each other’s company without words. They don’t speak much while it happens, an occasional question or one of them will show the other a meme. But aside from the low volume of the narration coming from Changmin’s laptop, the room is quiet.
Of course, not for long.
The knob on the door turns and Eric pops his head in, Haknyeon’s face appearing behind him. “Hey.”Juyeon peers at them, upside down, and hums in acknowledgement. Changmin pays them no mind. “We’re going to get some ice cream. Wanna come?”
“I’m okay.” Juyeon says, and looks over to Changmin who still has his eyes focused wide on the laptop screen. “Bring me back something though?”
Eric nods and Haknyeon just gives the two of them a weird look before shutting the door, the room enclosed in quiet once again. He doesn’t really want any ice cream, but he knows Changmin will be pouty about it later if he doesn’t get any even though he didn’t ask for it.
And that jolts him slightly.
That he can just know, no matter what, what Changmin is thinking or what he will think. He chalks it up to them being around each other consistently — not just the two of them but the group as a whole. It’s hard not to know a lot about someone who you spend practically every waking moment with. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? He doesn’t spend every moment with Changmin, even though he considers him to be his best friend. Juyeon is more inclined to kill time with Eric or Chanhee or Hyunjae because they all like similar things, while his time with Changmin is less prevalent in the grand scheme of things. Maybe that’s why it feels different. Why it feels special.
“Can I ask you a dumb question?” Juyeon speaks up, voice slicing through the air of the room. Changmin doesn’t look up at him, but Juyeon hears him press the spacebar on his laptop to pause the documentary, indicating that he’s listening.
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Changmin says in answer.
Juyeon snorts and turns over on his side to face his friend. He hesitates for a second before talking, and in the interim of silence he pokes Changmin’s cheek, just because. The other boy’s dimples crease as he smiles a little in amusement. “Was that all?”
He doesn’t say it in a rude way, as if he’s bothered or annoyed. He sounds amused. Fond. Juyeon opens his mouth to speak, but his eyes are focused on the fluffiness of Changmin’s hair, the lamplight reflecting in his eyes and making them shine, the roundness and softness of his cheeks. “Do you believe in soulmates?”
Changmin doesn’t bat an eye at the inquiry. He rarely ever does, even when Juyeon gets randomly philosophical. “Of course I do. Why?”
Because I think you’re mine and I wouldn’t want to have my soul tethered to anyone else’s, Juyeon wants to say. He doesn’t.
“I was just wondering,” he says, instead.
“Okay.” Changmin goes back to looking at his computer, but doesn’t play the movie again. Juyeon doesn’t miss the little smile playing at his lips. “Is that all? You’re taking time away from me watching my show.” but he’s full of it and Juyeon knows it.
“You’ve seen this one twice already.”
“Yeah, but there’s always something new to see, I always miss something the first couple of times.” Juyeon shifts closer to Changmin, the blanket moving messily beneath him and he sidles up to the other’s side. Changmin places a hand in Juyeon’s hair gently, so gently Juyeon almost doesn’t feel it. He looks up at Changmin, and he’s already looking back.
Not bothered, not annoyed. Fond.
Any other time it would be reversed, what with Juyeon being a giant in comparison, but he thinks it’s nice to be looking up into Changmin’s eyes for once. To know that no matter how they look at each other, he’ll always be there.
“I think you’re my soulmate too, you know.” Changmin whispers and the words wisp into the air, dissipating in a small cloud that falls over Juyeon and warms his cheeks and ears. He feels the hand in his hair move to his face, Changmin’s thumb brushing over his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose. He closes his eyes and dwarfs Changmin’s palm with his own, soft and secure.
He hears the blanket shift again, the material rustling before settling. He hears Changmin tap the spacebar on the laptop again, the key clicking, and lets it play.